University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Sunday, February 8
Ann Arbor, MI
12 p.m. PT
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Michigan
20-4,11-2Big Ten
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UCLA
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Photo by: UCLA Athletics
No. 2 UCLA Earns Top 10 Road Win at No. 8 Michigan, 69-66
February 08, 2026 | Women's Basketball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – No. 2-ranked UCLA (23-1, 13-0 B1G) staved off a late-game comeback attempt by No. 8 Michigan (20-4, 11-2 B1G) to earn a top 10 road win in Ann Arbor on Sunday.
Senior Lauren Betts secured a monstrous double-double; she finished with 16 points and 16 rebounds in UCLA's eighth ranked win of the season. The center added five assists, three blocks and a steal to her final stat line.
The Bruins edged out the Wolverines on the boards, outrebounding Michigan 41-38 in the victory.
Graduate guard Gianna Kneepkens kept the Bruins afloat with a stellar first half; the Duluth, Minn., native had 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting at the break (2-3 3FG). Senior Kiki Rice headlined the Bruin offense in the second half, scoring 16 of her 20 points after halftime. The point guard was 4-for-7 from the field and 8-for-8 from the charity stripe in the final 20 minutes.
Four Bruins finished in double figures: Rice (20), Lauren Betts (16), senior Gabriela Jaquez (13) and Kneepkens (12).
Sunday's win marks UCLA's first win this season in a game in which the Bruins scored fewer than 70 points. Forty-six of UCLA's points came in the paint.
Lauren Betts won the tip; the Bruins got to work quickly, with the center finding a cutting Jaquez for a layup for the first score of the game. After a few empty trips for the Bruins, Rice attacked downhill and got a layup to fall through a shooting foul. UCLA had an early scoring drought – the Bruins were without a basket for 3:17 – before Jaquez drew a foul underneath the basket. She knocked down both free throws. UCLA trailed by four with just over four minutes to play. Rice drove and drew defenders down low before kicking it out to Charlisse Leger-Walker on the wing; the Kiwi guard drove and converted a layup. Rice cleaned up a 3-point miss by Leger-Walker on the next trip, tracking down the long offensive rebound and finding Jaquez for a corner three. Lauren Betts posted up on the right block, spinning to get past her defender for layup with under 20 seconds, but UCLA's defense let the Wolverines score as time expired.
Lauren Betts had five rebounds through the first quarter; UCLA trailed Michigan, 17-13, at the first break.
The center found a cutting Kneepkens as a confused Wolverine defense failed to get set; the graduate guard scored her first points with the opening bucket in the second. Kneepkens repaid the big and found Lauren Betts on a pick-and-roll; the center scored a layup after bumping former teammate Kendall Dudley off the block. Rice took a slight pause before driving down the left baseline for a layup. The point guard stayed aggressive and, although she missed, attacked early with Lauren Betts down low. The center collected the offensive rebound and scored a pair of second chance points after Rice missed. Michigan missed a 3-pointer that found its way into Kneepkens' hands; she drove straight down the middle of the court and got a layup to go through contact. Michigan called for time down four.
Kneepkens got threes to drop on back-to-back at the midway point of the second; Leger-Walker and Lauren Betts collected assists on the makes. Michigan scored a pair of buckets before the Bruins added to the scoreboard again; Sienna Betts got active on the offensive glass and tipped one in past four Wolverine hands.
Lauren Betts posted up Dudley for UCLA's final make of the half; the center had eight points and seven rebounds to help the Bruins to a 33-30 lead at the break.
Leger-Walker took advantage of a deep post seal by Lauren Betts to get to the cup for UCLA's first score of the third quarter. Lauren Betts then found Jaquez on the cut and held another seal as the Bruins got up seven. The center was guarding the perimeter when she was hit with an illegal screen, forcing a Michigan offensive foul and turnover.
Rice got to the rack on a baseline out of bounds play, hopping past her defenders for two. Jaquez posted up and stepped through for a reverse layup out of the media timeout. Lauren Betts got active in the post next time down, scoring and securing her double-double.
Lauren Betts found a cutting Sienna Betts out of the double team in the post; the freshman forward drew a shooting foul on the drive and knocked down both of her free throws. The Bruins scored on the next three possessions, all at the rim. Jaquez and Rice got free for a pair of layups, then Rice drove past a lax Wolverine defense to draw contact for a tough and-one; the point guard nailed her attempt at the charity stripe.
Kneepkens kept her dribble alive on the right wing, losing her defender on in the midrange and getting her jumper to fall.
Lauren Betts got into the post off a pick-and-roll; Rice swung the ball to Angela Dugalić who found the center on the block; Lauren Betts scored the first UCLA basket of the fourth. She got to the left block again, faced up, and unleashed her signature spin move to get another layup. The 2025 national defensive player of the year swatted away a Wolverine look at the rim on the next defensive possession. She got another block out of the media timeout, her third of the game.
Rice got downhill with the shot clock winding down, drawing a shove and shooting foul from the Wolverines. She connected on both free throw attempts, pushing UCLA's lead to eight with half a quarter to play. Lauren Betts fought for position under the hoop and Dugalić lobbed the ball to the center for her eight basket of the top 10 matchup.
With two and a half minutes to play, Rice navigated Michigan's defense and got to the left side of the rim for a layup; she drew another shooting foul and converted the and-one attempt to give UCLA a 65-54 lead with 2:24 to go. Michigan put together a five-point run over the next two minutes but fouled Rice again, who nailed two bonus free throws to put UCLA up eight with 43 seconds left. She got two more before the Wolverines made a late push; Michigan made two triples to pull it within three.
UCLA, with sixteen seconds to play, got the ball into the hands of Jaquez, who was fouled on the catch. The senior missed both free throws. The Wolverines got the rebound to give Michigan one final look at the basket. Syla Swords took a long three on the left wing that ended in an airball for Michigan; UCLA held on to win, 69-66.
UP NEXT: at No. 12 Michigan State (Feb. 11)
UCLA wraps up its Michigan road trip at No. 12-ranked Michigan State on Wednesday, Feb. 11.
The Bruins and Spartans are set to tip off at 5 p.m. PT in East Lansing; the game will be broadcast on Peacock.
Senior Lauren Betts secured a monstrous double-double; she finished with 16 points and 16 rebounds in UCLA's eighth ranked win of the season. The center added five assists, three blocks and a steal to her final stat line.
The Bruins edged out the Wolverines on the boards, outrebounding Michigan 41-38 in the victory.
Graduate guard Gianna Kneepkens kept the Bruins afloat with a stellar first half; the Duluth, Minn., native had 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting at the break (2-3 3FG). Senior Kiki Rice headlined the Bruin offense in the second half, scoring 16 of her 20 points after halftime. The point guard was 4-for-7 from the field and 8-for-8 from the charity stripe in the final 20 minutes.
Four Bruins finished in double figures: Rice (20), Lauren Betts (16), senior Gabriela Jaquez (13) and Kneepkens (12).
Sunday's win marks UCLA's first win this season in a game in which the Bruins scored fewer than 70 points. Forty-six of UCLA's points came in the paint.
Lauren Betts won the tip; the Bruins got to work quickly, with the center finding a cutting Jaquez for a layup for the first score of the game. After a few empty trips for the Bruins, Rice attacked downhill and got a layup to fall through a shooting foul. UCLA had an early scoring drought – the Bruins were without a basket for 3:17 – before Jaquez drew a foul underneath the basket. She knocked down both free throws. UCLA trailed by four with just over four minutes to play. Rice drove and drew defenders down low before kicking it out to Charlisse Leger-Walker on the wing; the Kiwi guard drove and converted a layup. Rice cleaned up a 3-point miss by Leger-Walker on the next trip, tracking down the long offensive rebound and finding Jaquez for a corner three. Lauren Betts posted up on the right block, spinning to get past her defender for layup with under 20 seconds, but UCLA's defense let the Wolverines score as time expired.
Lauren Betts had five rebounds through the first quarter; UCLA trailed Michigan, 17-13, at the first break.
The center found a cutting Kneepkens as a confused Wolverine defense failed to get set; the graduate guard scored her first points with the opening bucket in the second. Kneepkens repaid the big and found Lauren Betts on a pick-and-roll; the center scored a layup after bumping former teammate Kendall Dudley off the block. Rice took a slight pause before driving down the left baseline for a layup. The point guard stayed aggressive and, although she missed, attacked early with Lauren Betts down low. The center collected the offensive rebound and scored a pair of second chance points after Rice missed. Michigan missed a 3-pointer that found its way into Kneepkens' hands; she drove straight down the middle of the court and got a layup to go through contact. Michigan called for time down four.
Kneepkens got threes to drop on back-to-back at the midway point of the second; Leger-Walker and Lauren Betts collected assists on the makes. Michigan scored a pair of buckets before the Bruins added to the scoreboard again; Sienna Betts got active on the offensive glass and tipped one in past four Wolverine hands.
Back-2?- back triples for Threepkens! ????
— UCLA Women's Basketball (@UCLAWBB) February 8, 2026
??: FOX#GoBruins | @giannakneepkens pic.twitter.com/ZmfVgyHf4I
Lauren Betts posted up Dudley for UCLA's final make of the half; the center had eight points and seven rebounds to help the Bruins to a 33-30 lead at the break.
Leger-Walker took advantage of a deep post seal by Lauren Betts to get to the cup for UCLA's first score of the third quarter. Lauren Betts then found Jaquez on the cut and held another seal as the Bruins got up seven. The center was guarding the perimeter when she was hit with an illegal screen, forcing a Michigan offensive foul and turnover.
Rice got to the rack on a baseline out of bounds play, hopping past her defenders for two. Jaquez posted up and stepped through for a reverse layup out of the media timeout. Lauren Betts got active in the post next time down, scoring and securing her double-double.
That's TOUGH, Kiki! ??????
— UCLA Women's Basketball (@UCLAWBB) February 8, 2026
??: FOX#GoBruins | @Char_legerwalks x @kiki_rice0 pic.twitter.com/eTeZ8WT6i7
Lauren Betts found a cutting Sienna Betts out of the double team in the post; the freshman forward drew a shooting foul on the drive and knocked down both of her free throws. The Bruins scored on the next three possessions, all at the rim. Jaquez and Rice got free for a pair of layups, then Rice drove past a lax Wolverine defense to draw contact for a tough and-one; the point guard nailed her attempt at the charity stripe.
KIKI. RICE. AND-OOOOOOOONNNNNNEEEEEEE ???
— UCLA Women's Basketball (@UCLAWBB) February 8, 2026
??: FOX#GoBruins | @kiki_rice0 pic.twitter.com/0e4wRDs9qE
Kneepkens kept her dribble alive on the right wing, losing her defender on in the midrange and getting her jumper to fall.
Lauren Betts got into the post off a pick-and-roll; Rice swung the ball to Angela Dugalić who found the center on the block; Lauren Betts scored the first UCLA basket of the fourth. She got to the left block again, faced up, and unleashed her signature spin move to get another layup. The 2025 national defensive player of the year swatted away a Wolverine look at the rim on the next defensive possession. She got another block out of the media timeout, her third of the game.
Lauren Betts, the woman that you are ???????????????
— UCLA Women's Basketball (@UCLAWBB) February 8, 2026
??: FOX#GoBruins | @laurenbetts12 pic.twitter.com/k5DVjydm48
Rice got downhill with the shot clock winding down, drawing a shove and shooting foul from the Wolverines. She connected on both free throw attempts, pushing UCLA's lead to eight with half a quarter to play. Lauren Betts fought for position under the hoop and Dugalić lobbed the ball to the center for her eight basket of the top 10 matchup.
With two and a half minutes to play, Rice navigated Michigan's defense and got to the left side of the rim for a layup; she drew another shooting foul and converted the and-one attempt to give UCLA a 65-54 lead with 2:24 to go. Michigan put together a five-point run over the next two minutes but fouled Rice again, who nailed two bonus free throws to put UCLA up eight with 43 seconds left. She got two more before the Wolverines made a late push; Michigan made two triples to pull it within three.
UCLA, with sixteen seconds to play, got the ball into the hands of Jaquez, who was fouled on the catch. The senior missed both free throws. The Wolverines got the rebound to give Michigan one final look at the basket. Syla Swords took a long three on the left wing that ended in an airball for Michigan; UCLA held on to win, 69-66.
UP NEXT: at No. 12 Michigan State (Feb. 11)
UCLA wraps up its Michigan road trip at No. 12-ranked Michigan State on Wednesday, Feb. 11.
The Bruins and Spartans are set to tip off at 5 p.m. PT in East Lansing; the game will be broadcast on Peacock.
Team Stats
UCLA
Mich
FG%
.466
.366
3FG%
.231
.238
FT%
.800
.692
RB
41
38
TO
13
9
STL
5
7
Game Leaders
Pts
16
FGM
8
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
C
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
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